"This was our school. Now it's just storage". She saw her Aunt pick up a book and flipped through its pages.
Karina recalled seeing pictures of her Aunt's school and how happy she looked when she was surrounded by her students.
Grace had a smile on her face but Karina could see the sadness in her eyes as she reminisced. "The kids were so bright, eager to learn and took English faster than I could teach it".
Karina helped her Aunt put away the books on the shelves. She looked up at the sting bats who must have knocked them down. They hissed at Jake who was playing with the mobile that replicated the Earth's solar system.
"We'll take a couple of these PH monitors, a soil probe and the old microscope—" Grace was instructing Norm what to pack.
While Karina's attention was caught by the book in her hands. 'The Lorax by Dr Seuss'.
She smiled as Tom always loved to quote Lorax when the topic was about Ecology. 'Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not'. He would even put his index finger on top of his lips to copy the Lorax's moustache.
Karina was pulled out of her trance as she felt her Aunt lean over her shoulder. "I loved that one. I keep hoping someone will come back and read them". Grace's smile fell as she gazed at the blackboard that was behind Jake.
Jake followed her line of sight and noticed the bullet holes on the board. "What happened here?". He asked as he poked his finger through one of them curiously.
Grace turned sharply to him and her expression hardened. "Are you gonna help us with this gear? We got a lot to do".
Karina thought it was unfair for her Aunt to snap at Jake. He didn't know what happened but she knew that her Aunt's school was always a topic even she avoided.
She sighed heavily as Jake turned to her. Even when she was low-key mad at him for lying, she couldn't help but empathise when he wore that sad puppy-eyed look.
Handing the book to Jake, she gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder before helping her Aunt and Norm prepare.
________________________________________________
After packing up, the four of them continued towards where there were more variables of fauna.
Grace picked a spot between two tall trees, their roots and vines intertwined. She urged Karina to watch closely as she pierced the probe into one of the roots.
Taking off her pack, Karina set it down on her feet and grabbed the scan's screen.
She and Norm both watched the screen as it automatically glowed and pulsed fast as the signal transduction from each root communicated to the next.
"Oh Wow, that's fast". Norm gushed over how amazing it was and asked if he could take the next sample.
Karina didn't want to take the opportunity away from Norm as he is also a Xenobotanist like her Aunt and encouraged him to go next.
She looked over to Jake and frowned once she saw him walk away.
"Norm you've contaminated the sample with your saliva". Grace reprimanded the scientist beside her.
Glancing at her Aunt who was too busy guiding her mentee to start all over again, Karina decided to quickly get Jake back before Grace would notice.
"Jake". Karina silently followed him and was quick to catch up without making much sound.
Now and again she looked back to Grace and then up the trees.
The said marine though was too preoccupied as he neared a cluster of Helicoradian.
"Don't you dare. Jake I swear Aunt Grace would hang us both upside down". Karina tried her best to sound stern but she could already tell that he would want to reach out and touch it.
He smirked at her. "Come on Riri, Don't be a scaredy cat". He said mockingly as he continued to walk closer to the beautiful spiral-shaped zooplantae.
Jake chuckled as the plant made a zlooping sound and immediately retracted from his touch.
"Jacob Sully get back here right now before—". Karina could feel her blood pressure rising. Her eyes fell to the ground and saw an Elephant-shaped footprint.
Helicoradians were indeed harmless but often a large number of animals radiate to it due to its colourful leaves. These clusters in particular were quite tall. Tall enough to hide predators behind them.
Jake continued to touch more leaves like a child on a sensory activity while Karina was getting more worried by the minute and had enough.
She decided to drag the marine back to her Aunt by grabbing his pack when suddenly all the Helicoradians recoiled revealing a trumpeting Hammerhead Titanothere.
Both Jake and Karina were stunned for a moment but Jake was quick to point his gun at the extremely territorial creature.
Karina knew shooting at it won't make any difference as its armor was basically bulletproof. She grabbed the tip of Jake's gun and pointed it down.
"Stop. You'll piss him off". Her eyes were glued to the Titanothere's movements. Reading them to figure out their intention.
It continued to roar at them as it feels threatened by how close they were to its territory. Knocking down a couple of branches with its solid hammerhead-shaped head.
"He's already pissed off". Jake aimed his gun at the creature again.
"Don't shoot. Don't shoot. Jake that armor is too thick, Trust me". Karina heard her Aunt through the comms. She turned to her left and saw her Aunt and Norm behind the tree trucks near them.
Finally listening to somebody else, Jake pulled away his AR and stepped backwards. He extended his left arm to tuck Karina behind him. "Let's make a run for it on three".
Karina grabbed Jake's arm firmly. "It's a territorial threat display. We can not run or he'll charge at us".
"So what do we do? Dance with it?". Jake's tail now was swaying faster and it kept flicking at her side.
Karina glanced at her Aunt who tried to calm Jake down. "Just-Hold your ground."
Her ears perked up at the sound of a branch being scratched behind her. She turned slowly trying to look for the source.
She heard Jake charge up to the Titanothere who screeched loudly. "Yeah? Come on! What you got?". The screeches started to quiet down as the creature retreated. "Oh yeah. Who's bad? That's right".
"That's what I'm talking about, bitch". Jake continued to threaten but the Titanothere ran back to its herd.
Karina reached out for Jake and took a few steps backwards to go near him. There was this ominous feeling she had in her gut that tells her something was about to appear.
Her eyes widen as a Thanator's head peaked through the gap between the tree trucks.
"Jake. Don't. Move". Karina did not take her eyes off the Panther-like creature as it poised itself in position to launch forward.
Eventually, Karina felt Jake's pack behind her. He was still taunting the poor Titanothere and was oblivious to the bigger problem behind him.
As he felt Karina pressed to his back, he turned to her looking smug but his face dropped the moment saw how sharp her expression was. Her whole body was on alert and positioned to run at any moment.
He followed her gaze and soon landed on another roaring animal more vicious looking than the other.
It pounced over their heads and landed swiftly in front of the herd. Roaring harshly at them to overtake their territory.
Grace now did not like how things were progressing. A Thanator was considered an Apex predator in the jungle.
It turned its head back to Jake and Karina. Snarling at them as it barred its teeth.
Aiming his gun at its head, Jake turned to Karina. "So what about this one Riri? Run? Don't Run? What?".
Karina quickly pulled Jake by his wrist and ran as fast as she can away from the Thanator.
"Run! Definitely run!". Karina heard her Aunt screaming as they scurried away.
She saw a small gap between tree trunks that they could easily fit into and launched herself forward dragging Jake behind her.
The Thanator roared as it tried to claw its way in and failed. It circled the clearing beside them instead but still was in their tracks.
Karina could feel her heat beat out of her chest as she pushed herself to run faster. The terrain beneath them was unstable but they could not afford a single slip.
Jake managed to dodge the Thanator as it leap towards him. It clawed its way through the bamboo trees. Snapping the trunks in half with its muscular jaw.
"Shit- We need a place to hide". Karina ducked through the pieces of bamboo flying behind her.
She felt Jake pull her down under the roots of a tree. The gap underneath was just enough for the two of them but was too small for the Thanator's big head.
It did not give up though as it poked its claws through the entrance, trying to pull them out.
As it managed to make the hole wider for its head to peek in. Both Jake and Karina moved further to the other side of the roots.
The Thanator easily leapt above them and bit hard on one of the roots splitting an opening.
Jake stood and aimed his rifle at it. The Thanator roared and thrashed around trying to avoid the bullets.
Unfortunately, due to the proximity, it managed to bite the end of the gun and swung it to the side.
"Let's go. Let's go". Karina tapped Jake's chest and ran further into the forest looking for another route of escape for them both.
They reached a clearing where there were only small bushes around. This was bad news.
Karina breathed slowly. Trying her best to calm her heartbeat. Panicking won't do them any good.
As if God finally heard her prayers, She could hear a faint sound of rapid waters northwest from the clearing.
"This way. Come on". She pulled him closer not wanting to leave a gap for the Thanator to leap in.
A force from behind knocked them both as the Thanator grabbed Jake's pack pulling them both backwards.
Karina's mouth gaped as she saw Jake's body being swung up in the air like he was weightless.
"Unbuckle your pack! Hurry!". She was desperate to at least help from afar. Karina exhaled deeply as she saw Jake slip off his pack and flew to the ground with a loud thud.
Grabbing the back of his shirt, she prompt him up and pulled him in the direction of the waterfalls.
They had to swat the leaves from their faces as they pushed their legs to the limit.
"Jump!". Jake grabbed onto Karina's arm tightly as he launch himself into the air.
They heard the Thanator's Jaw snapping shut behind them. Just missing Karina's tail by a few inches.
His grip on her arm was firm as they were free-falling but as soon as they hit the water, the surge underneath the waterfalls was too strong. Jake couldn't hold on to her any longer.
Karina, unfortunately, landed where there were bigger rocks below and hit her head on one of them knocking her unconscious as the current dragged her away from Jake.
Jake on the other hand tried his best to resurface immediately but found it hard to keep his head afloat as the current continued to pull him further.
After a long while, the current finally took him to the part of the river where there was a hanging branch. He automatically grabbed onto it to gain his balance. He prompted himself up and looked around for Karina.
He could still hear the roar of the Thanator from a distance but knew that he was already safe from its reach.
"Riri! Karina!". Jake continued to shout her name hoping for her to answer back. He desperately looked for a floating body further down but found none.
Blood was dripping from both his nostrils as he was still trying to catch his breath but he knew there was no time to rest.
It was almost nighttime.
The waterfall was connected to multiple streams and she could easily be swept further down to any one of them.
Choosing to trek alongside one that she most probably float to considering their drop point.
"Riri, please be safe. I'm coming for you". Jake wiped the blood off his nose and exhaled. He felt guilty as he knew too well it was his fault.
________________________________________________
Karina's eyes were closed shut as she hit the water. She felt a great pressure pushing her further down the water then felt a sharp pain. It seared through her before knocking her out.
Feeling the water around her, it pulled her further down its mouth.
'I feel cold and it's so dark. Did I unlink?'. Karina thought as she tried to grasp what was happening.
"Karina".
"Karina open your eyes".
"Karina wake up".
She tried to move her head toward the gentle voice of a woman. But she couldn't see the light.
Karina suddenly felt her body was no longer flowing down the river. It was stationary somehow but she still couldn't move her arms or legs.
After a few moments, there was a tingling sensation on her cheek, like something was brushing over it. It felt warm.
This warmth then spread although out her body and suddenly her eyes opened.
Karina coughed out a large amount of water as she took in her surroundings. She didn't see Jake.
Noticing that she was no longer near the waterfalls, she immediately silenced her coughs not wanting to make any loud sound.
She was still catching her breath when she felt blood dripping from her nose to the hand that covered her mouth. Trying her best to slow her breathing down she looked up to the sky.
Eclipse was fast approaching.
She quickly washed off the blood from her hands and face through the running water to get rid of any strong scent. Masking her scent with the mud and leaves.
Nocturnal predators will soon roam the forest that has superior olfactory senses to make up for the limited vision at night.
Karina quickly got out of the water and leaned on the nearest tree trunk for support. She removed her boots which were weighing her down and chucked them into the water. Besides, It made too much noise.
Scanning her surroundings, she knew she would be safer from above. It would be a perfect spot for her to look for any signs of Jake and anticipate any predators.
She picked a tree whose branches were close enough to other trees in case she needed to move to the next.
Karina climbed the tree with ease and made sure to step on the right stump to push herself upwards. Thankfully, Na'vi bodies had that built-in athletic characteristic buff.
Once she was happy with how high up she was on the tree, Karina steadied herself on a branch. It was wide enough to conceal her presence from the view underneath.
She closed her eyes as she tried to listen for any heavy footsteps or movement from the ground.
Not detecting any sounds that might belong to her fellow avatar, Karina opened her eyes. She leaned forward towards the direction of the river and proficiently started her search not wanting to miss any tiny detail.
That was until she saw the same shade of vibrant royal blue and yellow peeping through a branch quite a few trees away from hers.
She tried to focus on the silhouette of what appeared to look like a man when suddenly a wood sprite appeared in her line of sight.
It was trying to catch her attention as it danced in front of Karina for a moment before it floated towards her forehead. As soon as it touched her skin, she felt the same warmth she felt earlier.
"Come".
Hearing the voice again made her look up, and she saw a group floating downwards to the forest floor.
Karina was apprehensive. She did not want to leave her safe spot up on the tree but she also felt that she should follow them below.
She decided it was best to follow the voice. As it was the same voice that woke her up from her syncope.
Karina glanced down as she carefully descended from her branch. As soon as her feet landed on the ground, The wood sprites beckoned her towards them. One rested on her shoulder.
"Help".
'Could it be Jake?'. Karina was curious and a bit worried if it was him. He could be hurt.
She was led to a tree trunk not far from the tree she climbed. Underneath its roots was a young Thanator thrashing around as it was tangled with vines.
Sensing her presence the Thanator roared harshly and stirred more violently only to be restricted further by the tightening of the vine around its paw and neck.
Karina glanced over the wood sprites and gulped down her nerves.
She needs to calm herself before she calms the young panther.
Taking deep breaths she slowly approached the Thanator with her hands in front of her.
"Mawey. palulukantsyip. Mawey". Karina advanced cautiously. The Thanator eyed her every movement and growled.
"I am only here to help you". She tried to convince the creature that she meant no harm. Slowly taking out the avatar-sized Swiss pocket knife she had in her front pocket and showing it to the Thanator.
She crouched down and continued to coo soothing words to him. The young Palulukan let out a low hiss as it was the only sound the vines allowed him to produce.
Karina knew she had to act fast. She matched the Thanator's breaths and counted how many times it blinked. She had to strike quickly, ideally when its eyes were closed. He was starting to get tired.
Seeing her opening, She immediately lunged forwards grasping as much of the vines as she can and sliced through freeing the Palulukan's airway and paws.
Karina flipped backwards and held the pocket knife defensively as she watch the Thanator claw his body free of the vines.
It crouched down and locked eyes with her. The Palulukan let out a low but forceful growl as its tail whipped side to side.
Then very discreetly, It bowed its head down. The Thanator thanked her for her assistance before it pounced away from her and then ran at full speed in the opposite direction of the river.
Karina let out a breath she didn't notice she held. After a traumatic experience from a raging Thanator, it was hard to imagine that they could show gratitude.
Her focus then returned to the wood sprites that were hovering over her. They engulf her body with warmth and comfort before floating upwards to the branches.
"Well done".
She looked up at the branches as she stared that the jellyfish-like dandelions wondering if they saved her so she can help the young Thanator in need.
Eyeing the last wood sprite her gaze landed on a male Na'vi's face.
Her eyes widen as her body tensed up.
His bow was armed with the spiral fletched arrow with the vibrant colours of royal blue and yellow at the end.
It was the same arrow she saw earlier, Except this arrow was now aimed towards her.
Karina slowly backed away but kept her eyes on his fingers holding the string and then back to the male Na'vi's face.